Broncos G Netane Muti Evaluated for Knee Injury

Netane Muti was conspicuously absent from Saturday's training camp practice, because, per head coach Nathaniel Hackett, the third-year guard is dealing with a knee injury. Muti also did not practice Monday after the team returned from its off day.

The nature of his injury remains unclear.

"We are evaluating his knee," is all Hackett offered.

A 2020 sixth-round draft pick, Muti is locked into the reserve role in Denver, for whom the Fresno State product has appeared in 19 games, starting four. He logged 317 offensive snaps last season, allowing four sacks while drawing a 59.0 overall blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.

Muti began camp as the direct backup to presumed starting guards Dalton Risner and Quinn Meinerz. But the 23-year-old has impressed in new OL coach Butch Barry's wide-zone scheme — to the extent that he's taken first-string reps from Risner.

“He’s gained ground in the sense of [being] another [gap-]type body type," offensive coordinator Justin Outten said of Muti on July 30. "When you look at him, you’re saying, ‘OK this is a guy that’s going to play downhill’. Another athletic guy that can move in this system at the guard position. That’s a very competitive position, we all can see that. Again with the pads, we can talk about that as far as when we move forward and get a really good evaluation of that. Those two guys [G Netane Muti and G/C Quinn Meinerz] are battling each and every day and they both have really good characteristics that fit our system. To tag a starter across the board or at certain positions, I don’t think that’s realistic at this point because you don’t want people to get complacent with what’s going on. That’s going to happen throughout the season too. When someone gets tagged the starter to begin the season, they have to continually show that they belong in that position. You can’t just sit there and be an issue. You have to have somebody behind pushing you. I believe that wholeheartedly across the board—not only the offensive line but every position—there’s a lot of guys pushing for spots. It’s a very competitive offense as far as in the room, and they work together which is really exciting. It’s not a situation where they’re trying to beat this guy and make him look silly—they’re coaching each other up. A player-led team can really go far, and that’s what we’re trying to build into this system. Not only philosophy-wise within the team but taking ownership of your position and taking ownership of the guy next to you whether it’s an older guy or younger guy—they’re working together.”

Muti likely won't play in Saturday's preseason opener against the Cowboys. However, more will be gleaned when the result of his evaluation is made public.